D in Morse Code: −··
The letter D in Morse code is −··, spoken as "DAH-di-dit": one long, then two short. That is 2 dots and 1 dash, with a dash held three times as long as a dot. To remember it, think DOG did it (one stressed beat, two quick ones).
Timing: how long each part lasts
Morse timing is built from one unit, the length of a dot. A dash is 3 units, and the silence between the elements of a single character is 1 unit. At 20 words per minute, one unit is 60 ms, so D breaks down like this:
| Element | Signal | Length (units) | At 20 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dash | − | 3 | 180 ms |
| Gap | (silence) | 1 | 60 ms |
| Dot | · | 1 | 60 ms |
| Gap | (silence) | 1 | 60 ms |
| Dot | · | 1 | 60 ms |
| Total for D | 7 | 420 ms | |
How to signal D
- Tap it: one long, then two short. A short is a quick tap; a long is a heavier tap, or a quick tap followed by a slight hold, about three times as long.
- Blink it: one long, then two short. Use quick blinks for dots and slow, deliberate eye closes for dashes, keeping the rhythm steady.
- Flash it: one long, then two short. Short flashes for dots; for dashes, hold the light on about three times longer. Any flashlight or phone screen works.
How to remember D
Say DOG did it (one stressed beat, two quick ones) in rhythm with the code and the pattern sticks: "DAH-di-dit".
Words that start with D: Delta −·· · ·−·· − ·−, dawn −·· ·− ·−− −·, drum −·· ·−· ··− −−, door −·· −−− −−− ·−·. The first is D's NATO phonetic name, which operators use to spell aloud.
D closes CQD, the pre-SOS distress call. The Titanic's operators famously sent CQD alongside the newer SOS on the night of April 14-15, 1912.